Senior Capstone

At Manlius Pebble Hill School, students begin their Upper School experience by building a strong foundation of knowledge and skills in a broad array of courses. As they progress through the academic program, students exercise increasing degrees of agency to align their course selection with their interests, aptitudes, and goals. Meanwhile, they also pursue activities outside of their coursework that are meaningful to them. The Senior Capstone, which is completed through the senior-year English class, allows students to bring form, purpose, and recognition to the unique program of study and co-curricular activities they have pursued at MPH by engaging in a research project that reflects their authentic academic and co-curricular interests.

The Senior Capstone includes the following components:

• a proposal process in which juniors reflect on their learning in the Upper School and their engagement beyond the classroom to identify a topic they wish to study and participate in for a sustained period of time,
• a research project that is written and completed with the support of their 12th grade English teacher and a mentor,
• the opportunity to identify an area of devoted academic interest (a Field of Study) and identify coursework related to that interest, and
• the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom, and if desired, beyond the MPH campus.

The Senior Capstone intentionally encourages students to reflect on their learning and identify areas of their authentic intellectual curiosity. As such, the Senior Capstone aligns with essential elements of Manlius Pebble Hill’s mission and core values: critical thinking, responsible action, and authentic learning.